"Willis, Connie - Doomsday Book" - читать интересную книгу автора (Willis Connie)

Kivrin had stopped praying. Badri left his console and came over to where she was standing. He spoke to her for several minutes, the frown never leaving his face. She knelt and then lay down on her side next to the wagon, turning so she was on her back with one arm flung over her head and her skirts tangled about her legs. The tech arranged her skirts, pulled out the light measure, and paced around her, walked back to the console and spoke into the ear. Kivrin lay quite still, the blood on her forehead almost black under the light.
"Oh, dear, she looks so young," Mary said.
Badri spoke into the ear, glared at the results on the screen, went back to Kivrin. He stepped over her, straddling her legs, and bent down to adjust her sleeve. He took a measurement, moved her arm so it was across her face as if warding off a blow from her attackers, measured again.
"Did you see the Pyramids?" Dunworthy said.
"What?" Mary said.
"When you were in Egypt. When you went tearing about the Middle East oblivious to danger. Did you get to see the Pyramids?"
"No. Cairo was put under quarantine the day we landed." She looked at Kivrin, lying there on the floor. "But we saw the Valley of the Kings."
Badri moved Kivrin's arm a fraction of an inch, stood frowning at her for a moment, and then went back to the console. Gilchrist and Latimer followed him. Montoya stepped back to make room for all of them around the screen. Badri spoke into the console's ear, and the semi-transparent shields began to lower into place, covering Kivrin like a veil.
"We were glad we went," Mary said. "We came home without a scratch."
The shields touched the ground, draped a little like Kivrin's too-long skirts, stopped.
"Be careful," Dunworthy whispered. Mary took hold of his hand.
Latimer and Gilchrist huddled in front of the screen, watching the sudden explosion of numbers. Montoya glanced at her digital. Badri leaned forward and opened the net. The air inside the shields glittered with sudden condensation.
"Don't go," Dunworthy said.




TRANSCRIPT FROM THE DOMESDAY BOOK (000008-000242)

First entry. 23 December, 2054. Oxford. This will be a record of my historical observations of life in Oxfordshire, England, 12 December, 1320, to 28 December, 1320 (Old Style).
(Break)
Mr. Dunworthy, I'm calling this the Domesday Book because it's supposed to be a record of life in the Middle Ages, which is what William the Conqueror's survey turned out to be, even though he intended it as a method of making sure he got every pound of gold and tax his tenants owed him.
I am also calling it the Domesday Book because I would imagine that's what you'd like to call it, you are so convinced something awful's going to happen to me. I'm watching you in the observation area right now, telling poor Dr. Ahrens all the dreadful dangers of the 1300's. You needn't bother. She's already warned me about time lag and every single mediaeval disease, in gruesome detail, even though I'm supposed to be immune to all of them. And warned me about the prevalence of rape in the 1300's. And when I tell her I'll be perfectly all right she doesn't listen to me either. I will be perfectly all right, Mr. Dunworthy.
Of course you will already know that, and that I made it back in one piece and all according to schedule, by the time you get to hear this, so you won't mind my teasing you a little. I know you are only concerned for me, and I know very well that without all your help and preparation I wouldn't make it back in one piece or at all.
I am therefore dedicating The Domesday Book to you, Mr. Dunworthy. If it weren't for you I wouldn't be standing here in kirtle and cloak, talking into this corder, waiting for Badri and Mr. Gilchrist to finish their endless calculations and wishing they would hurry so I can go.
(Break)
I'm here.
















CHAPTER TWO

"Well," Mary said on a long, drawn-out breath. "I could do with a drink."
"I thought you had to go fetch your great-nephew," Dunworthy said, still watching the place where Kivrin had been. The air glittered with ice particles inside the veil of shields. Near the floor, frost had formed on the inside of the thin-glass.
The unholy three of Mediaeval were still watching the screens, even though they showed nothing but the flat line of arrival. "I needn't fetch Colin until three," Mary said. "You look as though you could use a bit of bracing up yourself, and the Lamb and Cross is just down the street."
"I want to wait until he has the fix," Dunworthy said, watching the tech.
There were still no data on the screens. Badri was frowning. Montoya looked at her digital and said something to Gilchrist. Gilchrist nodded, and she scooped up a bag that had been lying half under the console, waved goodbye to Latimer, and went out through the side door.